A compost heap in Germany might hold the answer to one of the hard chestnuts of pollution.
A few days ago, scientists from Leipzig University, Germany announced what might be a breakthrough in an enzyme that degrades PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic which was found lurking in garden compost. The enzyme PHL7 could make the biological recycling of PET possible and much faster than melting plastic waste at high temperatures.
To find environment-friendly methods for reusing plastic in a sustainable economy is all the more urgent these days. Perhaps the holy grail of biodegradable, sustainable plastics have been found at last.
Enter the United Nations with a report warning that even bio-based or biodegradable plastics pose just as great a threat to the environment as conventional plastics. Claims that biodegradable plastics are questionable, some experts say. After all, biodegradable plastics, derived from fossil fuels, also break down into micro-plastics. Still, the one and only solution is said to be the immediate reduction in plastic production and consumption.
So, finding a safe and simple alternative to plastic recycline is easier said than done. UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Inger Andersen said: “Ambitious action to beat plastic pollution should track the lifespan of plastic products – from source to sea – should be legally binding, accompanied by support to developing countries, backed by financing mechanisms, tracked by strong monitoring mechanisms, and incentivise all stakeholders – including the private sector.”
Yet, the delay in reaching consensus on such measures does nothing to reduce the threat of irreversible damage by plastic pollution.
Recent studies suggest that chemicals in plastics can radically alter the normal functioning of our hormones. Micro-plastics have recently been detected in human lungs time. Coastal communities, whose diet consists mainly of fish, are at tremendous risk.
A mere one per cent decline in marine ecosystems could translate into a $500b loss in global ecosystem benefits. The UNEP warns that plastic pollution of the seas and oceans could more than double by 2030.
Plastics, hydro-carbon-based polymers are said to be a huge driver of global warming. Plastics take centuries to degrade. Just one-fifth of all plastic created since the 1950s has been incinerated or successfully recycled and the demand is still rising.
Will future generations find themselves wading through plastic coast to coast?
